Chapter 8: Necropolis of Eternity

[ravenn4544]

Amethu turns to hear the rumble of impending doom. He instinctively reacts with the only possible option available him to avoid being crushed irrevocably. His arms extended, palms together, he shouts 'Rachab!" as he pulls his hands apart!

Cast Enlarge on the boulder

He then starts to back away as quick as he can...

It looks like it just fits in the hallway - Hopefully that will get it stuck or slow it down! sorry if I just made it worse...

[Urson]

Zahra

The albino glances back, seeing impending death heading toward them. She spits a curse that could be the snarl of a big cat, and sprints toward the newly- discovered door below them. Wasting no time with searches or reading heiroglyphics, she kicks at the door, praying she isn't adding to their troubles.

[1d6] = 2 Open doors 1-4

[ChubbyPixie]

Kiri turns immediately and runs to the door for some door bashing overkill.

Open Doors (1-5) Open Locked, Barred or Magically Held (1-2): [1d6] = 1

This is sooo a fake door.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako quickly follows Zahra and Kiri through the bashed open door.

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin helps those behind him into the room in the east, before following them in, hopefully as the boulder rolls past.

If the spell causes the boulder to slow or stop, he will still urge the party into the room, in case the spell wears off.

[Monsieur Rose]

Soruk

Hearing the click of the tile, then the low rumbling finally forces a realization. "That is wherefore the floor hath been sloped! Fine work, Soruk." He exclaims with more mirth than is warranted.

He sees the Grand Magus attempt casting something as Kiri and Mako dart past. "HAHAHA it is most certes going to get us! Runneth, Runneth!" He turns and starts running to the door the warrior of Sekhmet is kicking, laughing all the way.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorzen follows the lead of Arthfael, darting out of the way of the too close for comfort death roller, and back into the cleared hallway.

Dex check (15) [1d20] = 9

[wordoftheoracle]

Loche runs like his life depends on it... mostly because it does!

[Inferno]

Fourth Tier of the Great Pyramid
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Three. Midday. 15th day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia







Certain death hurtles down upon the explorers!

The rumble is deafening! Stone chips fly from where the massive boulder crashes against the ancient walls! The floor shakes as if the Great Pyramid itself is about to come apart!

Arthfael and Xorzen quickly leap west, back the way they came, and narrowly avoid being smashed to pieces by the immense sphere!

Loche runs for his life, due south, his torch slicing the shadows before him.

Zahra throws down her torch as she and Kiri frantically smash down the only door in sight! It splinters before their combined might and the pair tumble through the portal into darkness, followed quickly by Mako, Soruk and finally Garrin!
Mako's staff and Soruk's torch reveal a violated tomb. (room 39a)



Before they can get their bearings, they realize Amethu, Arthfael, Loche and Xorzen did not make it into this chamber!

Behind them, alone in the darkening corridor, Amethu turns to face the boulder as it barrels down upon him!
"Rachab!" says the masked sorcerer as he waves his hands apart and suddenly the hurtling globe of solid rock instantly, impossibly halts!



The enlarged boulder is wedged in the intersection of the timeless, illuminated corridors!

The rumble ceases. The tremors stop. The dust begins to settle.

Arthfael and Xorzen are trapped on the other side of the colossal stone, in total darkness.

Loche and those who crashed into the violated tomb hear only deafening silence behind them.


Actions?!


Map Detail:

Lit areas are visible. All else is from memory.

Map:






PC Status:

• Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 6/10, Spells: 4/6 1st lvl
  Arthfael Griogarach: Cimmerian Northman Druid 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 11/17, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 3/4 2nd lvl and 1/2 3rd lvl
  Garrin Locke: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 2: Move: 12", AC: 4(2), HP: 15/18, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 6/7, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl
  Loche: Pict Savage Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 18/18, Torch
  Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 2: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 6/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, Light spell
  Soruk: Verulian Osoran Cleric/Fighter 1/1: Move: 12", AC: 5, HP: 9/9, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, Torch
  Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 2: Move: 16", AC: 8, HP: 12/12
  Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 2: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 13/16

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.
  Healing Mists of Osorus (All except Amethu and Zahra): All lost HP recovered with 8 hours of sleep. Wakeful rest, or sleeping less than 8 hours, enables recovery of 1 HP per hour. Duration: "months."

Player Resources:

• The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
  Mysteries Strange and Deadly (player clues and notes)
  Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)
  An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin is surprised at the sudden silence, and dares a quick peek out of the door. He marvels at the sight. "Is this your doing, Magus?" he asks Amethu. "If so, well done.

"I am no mage, but I guess that your sorcery will not stop this boulder permanently. Come, join us in this room. When your magic fades and the boulder rolls past, we will be safely in here. We will then reunite with our friends behind the rock."

Garrin communicates the same plan to Loche.

[Monsieur Rose]

Soruk

As surprised as anyone that the door was in fact, real, Soruk stops just inside the door. "Hold! This is not right." When the outsider steps out to assess, Soruk follows. "What manner of madness is this?"

He walks over to the boulder and examines it. "It appears to be stuck." He turns to the Grand Magus and starts chuckling. "It seems the Ancients hath miscalculated this passage. Lucky for you."

"I am not well versed in all manner of traps, but there mayest be another part, waiting to be tripped by yon boulder."

[ChubbyPixie]

"Hmm," says Kiri. "That seemed too easy, escaping that boulder. Maybe this room is part of the trap. Be careful." After poking his head out the door to see that everyone is ok and admiring the quick thinking of Amethu, he pops back in and scans the tomb for notable features, careful yet not to touch anything.

[Zhym]

Arthfael sits down and waits.

[OGRE MAGE]

Nervous at first, being trapped all alone with the tattooed man, Xorzen eventually just sits down as well.

He tries what the outlanders call small talk, to help pass the time.

"Ummm..........pretty dark in here, huh?"

[ravenn4544]

Amethu pauses with his arms still outstretched. Any other reaction he may be wearing at escaping a sudden and definitive death is hidden beneath the mask of his order. He examines the rock and then looks behind him down the hall. He calls as loud as he dares to those still behind the rock "A moment - I will dispel this effect shortly and you should be able to pass."

He moves assertively to the room that the group has successfully entered to dispel or wait for the spell to pass. He motions to Locke to join them in the room. He will call to him as loudly as he dares....

[OGRE MAGE]

Happy to hear about an expedient rescue, the monk shouts back under the boulder.

"Thow should be sure to check out the boulders final destination before releasing it again! It my be designed to conceal something behind or under it wherever it stops in the corridor."

[Urson]

Zahra

The albino amazon skids to a halt inside the room, hoping that there aren't secondary traps here. When there is enough light to see that they are in a tomb, she looks around, taking in the details, shaking her head when she sees that the dead have been desecrated.

That was terrifying- but brilliant on your part. Well done!

[wordoftheoracle]

Loche backtracks to the violated tomb and does a quick once over for physical traps in the newly entered room.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako keeps to the door way to illuminate the room so the others can check the room for further dangers.

[Inferno]

Loche backtracks to the violated tomb and does a quick once over for physical traps in the newly entered room.

Hi Oracle,
Fyi, this will take 2 rounds. One to travel the 9" back into the room, the other to start searching. Thanks.

Nervous at first, being trapped all alone with the tattooed man, Xorzen eventually just sits down as well.

He tries what the outlanders call small talk, to help pass the time.

"Ummm..........pretty dark in here, huh?"